TEST
It’s been a long time since I read a western and I forgot just how much I enjoy them. I find I can easily get lost in the Old West milieu with its dusty streets and threat of lawlessness. Plus, I swoon over rugged cowboys.
Dade Logan is one such rugged cowboy. He and his sister Daisy were children when their mother passed away and their father sent them to an orphanage. They were separated when Daisy was sent west on an orphan train in the hopes of her finding a new family. While at the orphanage she was befriended by Maggie Sutten.
Now an adult in 1895, Maggie is on the run and has assumed Daisy’s identity in order to escape an arranged marriage. Dade has been searching for his sister and has taken residence in Placid, Colorado to await her return as she is engaged to the local sheriff. Unbeknownst to Maggie, Daisy’s beau has been killed by ruffians and Dade has assumed the position of sheriff of Placid. Dade does not recognize his sister and is suspicious of the young lady claiming to be Daisy. Once Maggie’s ruse becomes apparent, Dade vows to find the real Daisy and enlists Maggie’s help. Their pasts are about to catch up with them though in the form of a brutal bounty hunter who is after Maggie and Dade’s outlaw kinfolk.
I tend to think of this as being more of a plot-driven than character-driven story. Dade and Maggie are sort of generic characters, though what makes them unique is their mutual history of abandonment and being orphans at the mercy of a society that did not place a high regard on child welfare. Their reminiscences of their childhoods were poignant and I felt deeply for them due to their abandonment and lost childhoods.
In a lot of ways this novel delivers. There is a satisfying romance between two damaged individuals who share a common past. There is a fast-paced adventure as the hero and heroine search for clues to Daisy’s whereabouts. And there are villains who attempt to harm Dade and Maggie throughout the story, escalating the tension. What there is not, however, is a resolution to all of the plot points. Perhaps there is a sequel planned that will answer all of the remaining questions, but personally I felt cheated.
I really struggled with this review and grade because I felt like what was otherwise a pleasant B-/C+ read fell completely apart in the last quarter of the book. The conclusion felt rushed and I was left unsatisfied as I closed the book. Had I not been so sorely disappointed by the ending, this book would have received a higher grade than C-.
Grade: C-
Book Type: Frontier/Western Hist Romance
Sensuality: Warm
Review Date: 03/02/11
Publication Date: 2010/12
I read romance of any sub-genre, but particularly love contemporaries. Well-written stories of any variety interest me though and I'm always on the hunt for my next favorite book. I love smart-mouthed heroines and tortured heroes, unusual time periods and just about anything medieval. On a personal note, I'm a political junkie, Cushing's Disease survivor, mom to 11 rescued dogs and too many cats to actually count.
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Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.